All my good intentions to keep this blog up to date...and it is now December! Another good couple of months have been enjoyed here with Leah winning the Cheshire Rural Woman of the Year Award for her contribution to food and drink; I was a very proud Mum and clapped very hard indeed to see Leah walk up to collect a lovely clock, some beautiful flowers and of course, the all important certificate! November saw the Cheshire Awards for Tourism Skills, another fantastic party night organised by Visit Chester and Cheshire, at Tatton Park, and once again Leah was successful in being presented with another award, this time for Best New Entrant to the Industry. There is going to be abit of competition here between Mother and Daughter I feel!!
Talking about Awards, we had a fabulous evening at St George's Hall at the end of October for the NWRDA North West England Tourism Awards. Sadly we did not win, however, being a part of this prestigious event for the 3rd year running is indeed an achievement. 2006 saw us there with the B&B and we did receive Highly Commended, 2007 with Painting at Harrop Fold Farm and then this year we were representing Cheshire with Self-catering Holiday Experience with Mellow Brook Cottage here at Harrop Fold Farm. The cottage looks beautiful following its complete redecoration and refurb, and guest's feedback is brilliant.
We have had our first substantial snowfall this week; on Tuesday morning David had to bring out the tractor to pull out two of our guest’s cars! It adds to the adventure...so I am told! What is so funny is that just 2 miles down the road there was no snow at all! Anyway, it arrived quickly and left quickly...much to Edward’s disgust as he quite fancied a couple of days off school.
Leah began her Christmas Cookery Demonstrations and Dine yesterday, it was really well received, and the dining room looked beautiful with the Christmas tree in situ. Perhaps this weekend will see us decorate the other tree in the cottage. The family are enjoying all this seasonal food especially the turkey as Leah keeps trying many different recipes out on us...I really must try to exercise or I will not be fitting into my Christmas party dresses!
Mincemeat has been on Leah’s mind as she has been making the most delicious mincemeat over the last couple of weeks, and so today’s job is making a few more mince pies for this weekend’s visitors. Oh the temptations I am faced with...will anyone notice how many I actually made?!
The animals are all well, the peacocks have settled and now entertain the guests over breakfast, I am not quite sure whether they are admiring themselves by viewing their reflections in the windows or are hoping for treats from guests! Emmie is delightful and so good, she has loved seeing her first snow this week, she made everyone laugh when she jumped onto the wall not realising of course that she would then skid along it and land on the ground! Arthur has taken to his job of patrolling the buildings looking for anything interesting (and tasty!) and spends a great deal of the day in this way.
The cows came in for the winter after the bonfire party, I love hearing their low mooing sounds when I wake up in the morning. They are so happy when they first come in, but by spring start trying to break out again...the grass is always greener...!
Must set to now to prepare the rooms for today’s guests and then start to organise our Christmas orders to ensure we have plenty of delicious food to offer our guests.
Catch up again very soon,
Sue x
Sue's News (Tag: edward)
Leah's First Awards...From September to our first snowfall!
- 5 December 2008, 13:00
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A Hat Trick of Awards for Harrop Fold!
- 21 June 2008, 17:00
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Cheshire Tourism Annual Awards 2008 - The Winners!
Self Catering Holiday of the Year 2008 - Mellow Brook Cottage at Harrop Fold Farm
The judge said “This was the only self-catering unit we saw with a special magic – nothing to do with plasma tv screens etc, more to do with imaginative restoration of the cottage, making the most of natural materials and beautiful simplicity.”
We all had simply the most exciting night last Friday at the beautiful Chester Racecourse. Visit Chester and Cheshire put on the most glamourous Awards ceremony which was organised by the happy and lovely Nicola Said and her very able team. Harrop Fold was shortlisted for 4 awards - yes! 4 awards! - B&B of the Year, Tourism Experience of the Year, Self Catering Holiday of the Year and Taste of Cheshire. We won the first 2 in 2006 and 2007 and are totally delighted to win the Self-Catering Holiday Award this year.
How wonderful it is to be rewarded for all the thought and consideration we all really do put into the business to ensure our guests have a truly memorable time...from David's vision in building the barn and his unbelievable skill in keeping the barn true to its character - so many guests comment on the original plough 'bit' and the horse harness found under the hay when beginning the conversion - to Leah offering the finest local produce - to Helen and I 'charring' and making the cottage look welcoming to guests. And of course, Edward's lawn mowering and weeding skills! and must not miss out Alice's and George's help in the holidays. All in all a damn fine Team!
...and of course this gives us entry to the North West Development Agency Award's Ceremony in October, and we all just love that night too!
All this celebrating and more lovely guests to care for gave us an exhausting weekend! Bollington celebrated the Cheshire Year of the Gardens 08 with its wonderful Floating Garden Festival on Sunday where we all gathered to wave off Bollington's own floating garden to wind its way over to Middlewich - what tremendous weather the crew will have enjoyed.
Speaking of the weather, it is fantastic, David and I had a stroll on Monday evening to pick more rhubarb for our jams and enjoyed a quiet few moments watching the sunset and the view was so clear we could see right over the Cheshire Plain to the Welsh Mountains.
The lovely weather is encouraging the wildlife to 'perform well' for our guests, our visitors in Mellow Brook Cottage have been treated on several evenings to playful visits from the badgers and on one occasion this beautiful creature was so close he could have been touched! This morning the Kites are to be seen soaring over the bottom meadow.
Waxing lyrical about nature is not going to help with this morning's jobs. We have an art course running and I have cakes to bake and lunch to prepare - so off to the Aga I must go, first on the list is preparing some Cheshire beetroot, which I think I will make into soup, it always looks so fantastic being such an incredible colour and with a dollop of contrasting Delamere Creamed Cheese tastes divine...feeling peckish now too!
Speak soon.
Love, Sue x
Our first Swallow has arrived!
- 22 April 2008, 09:00
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Welcome to Spring!
Today we have had the arrival of Very Important Guests – our first Swallow has arrived at Harrop Fold Farm. Yes, I know one swallow does not make a summer – however it is certainly the beginning of the arrival of the beautiful birds swooping and diving over the farmyard. Our young kitten Arthur, has not experienced their antics before and is lying mesmerised on the wall with one paw in the air! I love waking in the morning hearing their chirps and cheeps as they nest over our bedroom window frame.
Leah is at home today preparing for the launch of her new website and it is always a treat as she makes our lunch and lots of lovely cakes for afternoon tea – today’s lunch is a lovely Spring Vegetable soup which will be enjoyed with Mark Beeley’s gorgeously soft and delicious home baked bread. Hope David doesn’t notice that Leah and I have pinched the fresh crusts! For later we have some decadent Rocky Road Cakes…must remember to wrap one up for Edward on his way home from school.
Speak again soon.
Love from a gloriously sunny Rainow,
Sue x
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SK10 5UU
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